Chiridota rigida Semper, 1868

THANDAR, AHMED S., 2007, Additions to the aspidochirotid, molpadid and apodid holothuroids (Echinodermata: Holothuroidea) from the east coast of southern Africa, with descriptions of new species, Zootaxa 1414 (1), pp. 1-62 : 59

Chiridota rigida Semper, 1868

Chiriridota rigida Thandar and Rowe, 1989: 153 (synonymy & records before 1989); Rowe & Gates, 1995:266.

Type Hamburg, Germany .

Type locality Bohol, Philippines .

Previous southern African record Southern Mozambique and southern KZN, South Africa.

Material examined SAM-A 27953, Park Rynie, KZN, K.S. Ganga, 2.iv.1992, 15 fragments.

Distribution Tropical Indo-West Pacific Ocean, 0– 5 m.

Habitat Benthic, inshore, sand, rock.

Remarks

The material is poorly preserved and in 15 fragments which, judging from the anterior ends, probably represent six specimens. This is the second record of this characteristic tropical Indo-West Pacific species from South Africa, demonstrating that it is perhaps well established in the shallow, southern African subtropical waters. The colour of the current material is also orange with white papillae, corresponding well with that described for their Park Rynie ( KZN) specimen by Thandar & Rowe (1989).